


One Wish

by uniquelyidentical



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Arkenstone is alive, F/M, Line of Durin Lives, No Major Character Death, all company involved, eventually minor bagginshield, i'm a total sap so be warned, kíli love story, using the fae race, yes i know its a cliche idea and stupid but i like it so hush
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-02
Updated: 2013-11-14
Packaged: 2017-12-31 05:54:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1028040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uniquelyidentical/pseuds/uniquelyidentical
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the Battle of Five Armies, before Bolg can deliver the fatal blow that is to end the life of Thorin Oakenshield, as well as his nephews as they try to protect him, an arrow pierces through the Gundabad Orc’s skull, killing him. That one arrow saves the lives of the Durin’s, and wins the battle as well. </p><p>Days after the battle, after the Oakenshield’s have healed, the Company realizes that Thorin hasn’t craved the gold as he did before the Battle. When the company finally manage to return to the Treasury, they are shocked to find a young girl, asleep on top of a pile of gold and jewels.</p><p>It doesn’t take long for Gandalf to appear and the truth revealed, the girl who is sleeping in the gold is a Fae, and the she is the Heart of the Mountain, and she saved the life of her Dwarves.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own the Hobbit, yada yada yada. Y'all should know this stuff already! Oh, and it is a Kili love story~ cause hot damn that is one sexy ass dwarf prince.

It should have killed him. That disgusting, vile, evil creature should have delivered a blow to end the life of Thorin Oakenshield, and he very well knew it. But it never happened. The blow never came, not to him at least. Rather, something hit Bolg, son of his great enemy, in the side of the head, and sent him to the blood drenched earth, motionless and soundless. 

Then he saw it, the item that saved his life. Sticking out of the orc's temple was the delicate shaft of an arrow. In fact, it was so small that Thorin was sure he wouldn't have seen it if it hadn't been for the golden color it had been painted, or the pure white feathers that were ruffling faintly in the slight breeze from the chaos of the battle going on around him.

He gave it no more thought as another orc came at him. As the battle raged on, however, Thorin couldn't shake that someone had aimed precisely for the head of Bolg, meaning to not simply kill the horrendous thing, but out of protection. His hunch was confirmed moments later when he glanced over to see an orc swinging at Fili, who was struggling to defend himself. Before the blow could hit its intended target, something collided with the attacker and sent it to the ground.

The King under the Mountain slashed his way through the mass of ugly creatures to reach his nephew, defending him until the younger lad could collect himself. As he glanced at the fallen orc, he saw the same arrow, the same fragile, golden shaft with feathers pure as snow. It confused him how such a flimsy arrow could pierce through the skulls of such dense skulls of orcs.

Once more, his attention was removed from the arrow as the battle did not pause for his thoughts. Though, that was not the last time he saw that protective arrow. One last time, before the enemy was defeated, he saw his youngest nephew spared from death, the same thing, a intricately delicate arrow piercing the skull of an orc, and allowing his nephew to see the end of his first battle.

This time, Thorin looked towards the origin of the savior arrow, and saw a hooded figure atop one of the massive statues guarding the gates of Erebor. He watched as the mysterious archer stood, and turned, disappearing from view. As his Company surrounded him, moving his weakening body towards a healer, he couldn't help but wonder who the archer was, and how they had protected his line. He was lost in his own mind as his body began a new battle; a battle against the toxins he hadn't escaped from slashes from orc blades.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One:**

 

No one was quite sure what to do at that moment. So, there they all stood, thirteen dwarves and a hobbit, staring at a strange female, who was sleeping quite soundly atop a pile of gold that had once been slept upon by a dragon.

Thorin thought that the cloak underneath her was familiar, but after several days of being feverish and in a great deal of pain, he wasn't exactly sure. 

She was lovely, they all had to admit, albeit incredibly unique and strange in physical appearance. While no one could be sure, it appeared she was only about the size of their hobbit-burglar, and very slim. In fact, most of the Company if not all would have thought her an elf if it were not so obvious she was barely their size.

But, despite her size, it was glaringly obvious she was no dwarf, nor a hobbit for that matter, and most definitely not of the race of Men, she was far to pretty for that, yet, she was far to small to be an elf. The silk chocolate locks that fell gracefully around her sleeping visage proved that she was no leaf-eater by revealing small, unpointed ears. In fact, everything about her was small. Her hands, her feet that were bare, her stature, her nose. She was, overall, quite delicate yet there was a faint air about her that made you wonder for a second if she could be dangerous despite the appearance. Much like the arrows, Thorin thought to himself.

And then there was the strange markings that dusted over her skin. They were light and blended in to her fair skin, but with her still figure it was easy to make them out. They were simply flecks of color, pale blues and light reds, nearly translucent golds and diluted greens, all the colors of the gems and precious metals of Erebor really. As strange as they were, they made her even more beautiful in physical appearance.

The silence was broken when Ori breathed out, "She's the archer."

All of them glanced at the scribe before looking closer, wondering how he could have deduced that. It was then they realized that the girl wasn't just there defenseless, and Ori was quite right. A bow laid less than an inch from her fingertips, and the quiver right beside it still had a few arrows. All were the color of the purest gold, delicate and intricately decorated upon closer inspection. And the same, untainted and pure, white feathers. 

The days after the battle, the stories had spread of the archer who saved not only the King with a golden arrow, but his sister-sons as well. And it wasn't silly a rumor, apparently. The archer responsible for saving the line of Durin lie in front of them, sleeping peacefully.

 

"Aerchkaleya! Of all the times and places you choose here and now to be sleeping?!" The company nearly jumped out of their skins at the booming echo of the wizards voice. Ori himself toppled over with a rather un-masculine yelp, Bofur dove behind his oversized brother as a shield, and Dwalin had his battle axe raised and ready to attack. The only one to not yell or jump or both in some form was Bifur, who wasn't even paying attention to the strange girl, rather was studying the remains of a column a few feet away. 

The noise, however, did rouse the girl. As she sat up, the dwarves watched, entranced by her liquid movement. It was if she had control over every single molecule of her being. Her arms stretched gracefully over her head, allowing the silky, chocolate locks to tumble elegantly down her back and onto the gold she was still perched upon. Her lips parted slightly as she yawned, managing to make the simple reflex look complex and intricate. The pale pink lips that seemed to have been sculpted for her and her alone, closed in an equally elegant manner and finally, her eyes opened. 

The entire company was practically hypnotized by them, even Bifur who had returned to the group. They were a pale yet vibrant blue, and the dwarves could have sworn they were carved from the purest sapphires in all of Arda for her eyes alone. Everything about her was stunning and graceful, it was mesmerizing. Her head tilted to the side, her hair swaying with the motion as she looked at the group in front of her, and it only took a moment for her lips to curve into a gentle smile. The female inclined her head towards them, her eyes flicking down in respect for a moment before she moved her attention to the wizard, who had moved around the company and near the girl.

The girl- Aerchkaleya, apparently, smirked a bit and spoke for the first time in the company's presence, "I do choose. Though, you did wake me up, my friend." Her voice was gentle, smooth, though not as high pitched as one would have assumed. It was a bit lower than most female voices, but not enough for someone to think a male was talking should they not be looking at her.

Gandalf chuckled as the girl stood, her legs lifting her body with liquid grace, and she hopped off the pile of precious metal, turning to the company. It was quite amazing, how easily she moved with such pure grace and precision. Even the elves didn't move as easily or as elegantly as she did. As she stood in front of them, it became quite apparent she was about their size, a bit shorter, more the height of their hobbit. But none the less, she was beautiful, despite having nothing of dwarfish beauty standards; she had no facial hair, she was slim, her nose was small as were her hands and feet, and her skin was smooth and, well, perfect. 

The dwarves and hobbit were removed from yet another trance as Gandalf spoke, this time to the company, introducing the female, "I would like you all to meet Aerchkaleya, one of the last of the Fae left in Middle Earth, guardian and heart of The Lonely Mountain."

The dwarves faces went from entranced to shocked in a matter of seconds. The girl in front of them was a Fae? The Fae were that of mythes and children's tales, having been thought to no longer exist. It made sense though, she did look too perfect to be anything else. The stories of the Fae told of impossible elegance in movement, voices so unique and beautiful they could send any creature into a trance, bodies that looked as if an artist had spent a thousand life times working to perfect just a single Fae. 

Gandalf cleared his throat, startling the dwarves and hobbit from their shock, and it was Balin who connected the dots first, asking cautiously, "Heart of the Mountain?" Quite honestly, he wasn't sure if he wanted his deduction to be right. He knew the Arkenstone only brought despair and misfortune to Durin's line, but it had to be impossible. A stone, no matter how powerful, couldn't be human, let alone a Fae. But, if somehow this girl was the Arkenstone, maybe her being, well, alive, maybe it would put an end to the Dragon Sickness it had cursed the line of Durin with all those years ago. 

Aerchkaleya smiled gently once more, inclining her head towards the eldest dwarf among them and answered him, "I do believe for quite a time, I was called the Arkenstone."

For some reason, no one was quite sure why, hearing the girl in front of them claim to be the Arkenstone made them all highly defensive. Aerchkaleya didn't react in the slighted, a smile still gracing her face. Gandalf, however, was more concerned with the reaction, well aware that the claim sounded quite insane really, though no one had any other explanation to the girl. Stepping forwards, moving himself closer to the dwarves and ahead of Aerchkaleya, he told the Company in a strong voice, "Aerchkaleya is the soul and guardian of this mountain, she would never do anything detrimental to it or it's peop-"

" _My_ people." Gandalf turned to look at the girl who had interrupted him. Her face had changed, very determined and strong. Tilting her chin to look a bit better at the wizard, she informed him and the company, "The Dwarves of Erebor are _my_ people. I picked Durin and his people to reside within my mountain, and they came under my protection. And I will always protect them, I swore to him that his line and his kingdom would continue as long as I. I have never broken that promise."

Thorin stepped apart from his group and questioned her harshly, "Then why is it that the people you claim to be yours were forced from their home by a dragon? That their king was beheaded while trying to find them a new home? That we were turned away and distrusted by all? If you promised to my ancestor to protect his line, my people, why did you not come to our aid when Smaug claimed this as his horde?!"

Even Gandalf was worried by the kings reaction, they all were, except the Fae who had moments ago claimed to have been protecting the people of Erebor. She was calm, her face softening a bit as she answered easily, "But you survived. The dragons attack was a horrible thing, as was the loss of Thror. But they were necessary."

The dwarf was still glaring venomously at the woman in front of him, and spat out, "Death and exile are never necessary."

The brunette stepped forward herself, her features still showing a calm demeanor and her body relaxed as she defended her point, "They are not wanted, but sometimes they are necessary for a leader to rise. You would never have stepped up to become the great king if you had never lost your kingdom, your grandfather or father. I am sorry for that, Thorin Oakenshield, but they were things I had no say in. It had been decided long before you."

Gandalf sighed in the background, shaking his head. Aerchkaleya was much to open with the dwarves, she had always been that way, telling them the things they asked, never hiding anything, unless it was absolutely necessary. And even then, she would try and make up for the fact she couldn't be honest with them, over-exerting herself to create a vein or two of mithril for the dwarves. Something she had been scolded for by the Valar and her parents too many times to count.

Thorin didn't realize just how much she was telling him, and continued to push, "Decided by who?"

It was then Gandalf decided he couldn't allow it to continue in his presence. If Aerchkaleya told them more after he gave his warning and left, he could do nothing about it. But not while he was still there. She had said far too much already. Clearing his throat, he placed a large hand on the Fae's shoulder and ended the dialogue between king and Fae, "Decided by those stronger than you, Thorin Oakenshield, and those stronger than Aerchkaleya or I. Now, I think it best you return to the others, I'm sure Dain is looking for you and others as well. We shall join you in a moment."

As much as no one wanted to leave the matter nor leave Aerchkaleya with Gandalf, they all caught the clear warning in his voice; the woman who had saved Thorin, Kili, and Fili, had already said more than she should have and any more talk of any of it would get them all into trouble. Gandalf watched the Dwarves and Hobbit leave, before looking down at the Fae and telling her, "I cannot make you sleep again, I know that. But I can ask you say less to them of matters they shouldn't know of. It isn't always the best thing for them, and I can only hope you listen to me now, for _THEY_ are running out of patience with you, Aerchkaleya."

The small girl sighed, dropping her head, but nodded. He was right, she was used up most of their patience with her, she was sure now that she had interfered with the battle days before, they had none left with her honesty towards the kingdom she proudly protected within her mountain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's not long, but I think its a rather high quality chapter. Anyway comments to lemme know what you think! And I promise, there will be more Kili x Aerchkaleya soon!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Two:**

Jewel of the Mountain. It was the title that Aerchkaleya had been given by Thorin. And it drove her absolutely insane. She hated it, because Thorin had given it to her not as just a name, a honorary title or something insignificant. It was a position, a royal title, and everyone treated her as such. What made it worse was that she was a woman, and a particularly small one to the dwarves. They all treated her as if she were some breakable china doll, never letting her do any work, always trying to fetch her things. She hated it, more than anyone could imagine.

But, before his departure, Gandalf had reminded Aerchkaleya that in the dwarfish culture, it was customary that women were protected and cared for, as they were rare. And that as difficult as it was for her, it would be an insult to the dwarves if she refused the title or their treatment. So, she had suffered in silence, allowing them to treat her as if she could shatter in the blink of an eye. Every once and a while, she wondered if Gandalf had told them to treat her this way, then told her to be nice and accept just as punishment for being, well, Aerchkaleya.

As the months passed, her nerves began to fray. She wasn't some useless creature, Fae or no. She was as sturdy as any dwarf, despite her size and appearance. The caravans from the Blue Mountains came with dwarves, some returning to their home others arriving in their new one. The joy and warmth and relief that they brought was what kept Aerchkaleya calm. And the energy and life within Erebor again reminded her why she hadn't gone back to a slumber in a gem.

She was getting more agitated, though, and the excitement and happiness of dwarves arriving home could only help for so long. On Thorin's order, she was never allowed outside her rooms without a guard. Quite frankly, she had a hunch that he was still irritated with her not telling him anything more after leaving the treasury, resorting to cryptic answers and changing the topic all together. But the order to not allow her around her own mountain with just her thoughts kept her in her room quite often.

It was at month nine that everything came to a head. Aerchkaleya had attempted to sneak out of her room without a guard, only to be intercepted by them. All she wanted was to walk around her mountain, see what needed help and who was about. But she couldn't do that, and it was the straw that broke the oliphants back, metaphorically speaking. All hell broke loose.

"That is it! I have absolutely had it!" Aerchkaleya stormed past her assigned guards, throwing her hand up as she did. When the guards attempted to follow her, they found it quite impossible to move, and looked down to see their feet had been encased by the stone of the floor. All they could do was watch as their charge stomped down the halls of the royal wing and out of their sight.

\----

The brunette woman brushed through the crowds of Erebor, now filled with life and quickly on its way to become the magnificent and envied kingdom it once was. Though, it didn't matter to her at the moment. Her presence, however, didn't go unnoticed, and quickly, guards were rushing towards her, only to suffer the same restraint their fellow guards had back in the royal wing.

By the time Aerchkaleya had reached her destination, she had successfully incapacitated almost every guard within her mountain, all currently chipping at the stone around their feet. If she weren't so irritated, she might be a bit amused. The walkway she stopped at was one of the few that the citizens of Erebor avoided on purpose. Because it passed by an ominous door, that had no path to it, no visible or known one anyhow.

It stood alone, a door that no one knew what it lead to. With no apparent path to it, the only way to reach it seemed to be a bridge to be built to it. None had existed, even before Smaug, and the stories about it still flittered about. That it was a secret dungeon, or that there was a Balrog imprisoned behind it. None of which were remotely true, or even close for that matter. It had no path because it didn't need one, Aerchkaleya didn't. It was her room, her original room. When Durin the Deathless ruled under her mountain.

Heavy footsteps were rushing towards her, but she made no move to stop them. Despite having been awake for almost a year, it was still a strain to use as much magic as she had to restrain the other guards. She was tired, she just wanted to be alone, in her rooms, her real rooms. She hadn't used much magic and to use what she had in such a short period… her bed, her soft bed. And the gems and crystals that grew in her walls, sparkling and dancing colors over her walls.

Her judgement was impared, both from her fit and the exhaustion starting to set in. Aerchkaleya had spent nine months playing by their rules, letting them treat her like something she wasn't, ignoring her own culture and habits. They weren't things she had ever had to do, not before. It took more of a toll on her than she would ever care to admit, not to mention the large burst of magic. That wasn't something she would admit either.

Before Gandalf had left, with the dear little hobbit she had quite enjoyed, he had reminded her that she had never been a favored Fae, and her recent bout of archery wouldn't exactly win her favor, either. So, she and refrained from using any kind of magic, hadn't answered many questions, she had been a good little Fae, much to her disgust. That, coupled with everything else, it was affecting her negatively. It made her want her old room, and she took a step away from the walkway.

Two arms grabbed her, wrapping themselves around her and pulling her against something warm and firm. The small girl let out a small whine, but faded quickly, letting out a nearly silent 'hmph', before her eyes shut and her breath fell at an even, slow pace.

\----

Beautiful, it had always been beautiful, her mountain. Before dwarves had been allowed to dwell within, before a city had risen beneath. Before any elves or dwarves or Men or hobbits, before Sauron and the war, before orcs and goblins, before anything, there had been the Fae. Created from the spirits and souls of mountains and rivers, trees and meadows. Almost everything had a Fae, every tree and river. The few that didn't, they had become known as Ents, and the few mountains who had had become the Stone Giants.

But the Fae had spent several decades being the only creatures in Middle Earth, until the Elves had arrived. That hadn't been what could be considered a joyous welcome. While the Fae who were of Trees and Meadows got along with the new race, the Fae of Rivers and Mountains clashed with them, disagreeing more often than not. But, to be fair, before the elves, The Fae of Rivers and Mountains had a tendency to be at odds with the Fae of Trees and Meadows. Aerchkaleya and her sister, Aephaerylia, were particularly disagreeable when it came to elves. Aerchkaleya of the Lonely Mountain, they called her. The ever lonely one, who was always on her own, refusing to allow anyone into her mountain besides her sister. Aephaerylia was more agreeable, allowing other Fae to visit on occasion. Aephaerylia of Moria, though she was as rocky as the cliffs of her mountain.

The sisters kept their distance from not only elves, but other Fae as well. While they were all family, related in one way or another, Aerchkaleya and Aephaerylia were unique in that they were the only two Fae created by Aule and his wife, Yavanna. While the other Valar had created armies worth of Fae, Aule and Yavanna spent years creating their two Fae children. And it showed. The other Fae would follow orders and tasks from their creators without question and in groups, Aerchkaleya and Aephearylia would always question their parents, always wanting to have a reason. They refused to not know why they did what they did.

When Aule awoke his dwarves, Aerchkaleya insisted that no dwarf was allowed within her mountain without being tested and proven. Aephaerylia, however, quickly requested of her father that Durin be allowed to reside within her mountain, and it did not take long until the Fae of Moria declared that Durin the Deathless to be her One. Aerchkaleya personally thought it to be silly, but the pure joy and adoration she saw in her sister's eyes when she was around the dwarf, or simply mentioning him, kept her from voicing her opinion on that particular matter.

And so it went, while Durin and his people built a great kingdom within Moria, Aerchkaleya remained in her mountain alone. As Men began to scatter across Middle Earth, those who dared approach the Lonely Mountain soon learned that it was not just a simple story from the Elves that a disagreeable Fae lived within. For quite a time, Aerchkaleya would keep everything far from her mountain, leaving her to sulk and hide in her mountain, unwilling to admit her jealousy of her dear sister.

It wasn't until disaster struck that Aerchkaleya reemerged from the Lonely Mountain. A Balrog, an essence of evil, driving not just the dwarves from Moria, but her sister as well. With no hesitation, the Fae of the Lonely mountain called for her sister, her One, and his people to find a new home in her mountain, in Erebor. As they made their way to her, she excitedly began to shape a city within, preparing to not only have her sister beside her, but her father's creations, and she knew he was particularly proud of Durin.

And so it was, from the loss of Moria, came the mighty kingdom of Erebor, and soon, the Lonely Mountain was called such not because of the Fae within, who lived alone, but because it was a single, solitary peak that made the smaller mountains around it look like jagged hills. Aerchkaleya was happy, as Erebor became a bustling empire, thousands of dwarves moving about. While Aephaerylia became Queen Under the Mountain beside Durin, King Under the Mountain, Aerchkaleya was soon known as Heart of the Mountain. She was royal in her own right, though never acted as such.

She would wander about the markets, play with the children that always knew where to find the Fae, and tell them stories of the Time Before, before elves and dwarves. She would tell them tales of the other Mountain Fae, the playful River Fae, and the skittish, cowardly Tree and Meadow Fae. Aerchkaleya loved the wonder and excitement her tales brought the young ones, and soon, every day, mothers would take their children to the Center, where the Heart of the Mountain was always there to watch the children and play with them.

It was wonderful. For years and years, Aerchkaleya watched children and watched them grow to be the strongest and smartest, the most talented and brilliant of all dwarves, bring pride to the kingdom, and the Mountain. When it was announced that soon Aephaerylia would give birth to an heir, the kingdom celebrated, with Aerchkaleya leading it. It wasn't the first celebration over a future niece or nephew either. As the kingdom grew, as well as everything in Middle Earth, Erebor's King and Queen watched three healthy, strong, handsome sons grow.

And then it came, the Great War. The Fae were called, and Aerchkaleya insisted that her sister remain in Erebor. She told her that the mountain needed her, that she couldn't allow her nephews to be without their mother. And so it was, Aephaerylia remained in Erebor, protecting her people, while Aerchkaleya fought alongside the rest the Fae, watching her kin pass to the undying lands one by one as they gave up their Light, to fight the darkness of Sauron.

Aerchkaleya returned home fast, realizing the battle was moving closer to her Mountain and home. Her return was not a happy one, and she learned soon that even keeping her sister in her Mountain wasn't enough; Aephaerylia had passed to the Undying Lands after giving up her Light, her life source, to protect Erebor from an attack.

She mourned the loss of her sister, along side Durin and his children, along side the Kingdom. As the rest of her kin fought and gave up their Light, Aerchkaleya remained within her mountain, protecting it and the people within.

Her choice was one that changed everything; in the last battle, those left of the Fae gave their Light up all together, completely driving back Sauron. Except Aerchkaleya, the Fae were gone from Middle Earth. Alone, she was alone, no longer one of race of power, just the simple Fae left in a mountain, ever mourning her sister. And soon, the throne was passed to Daephrin, her eldest nephew, as his father joined her sister and his mother.

As life continued, Aerchkaleya remained, alone, unable to find the joy she once had in telling tales to young dwarflings. Generations came and went, and soon, she was no longer the beloved aunt, or story teller, she was the Heart of the Mountain, the morose Fae who roamed about.

Finally, she could no longer stand it, watching everything continue while she stayed frozen, missing her sister, Durin, and life before the Great War. With the blessing of her great-great- and however many more greats nephews, if they even were, she slept, burying herself deep into the mountain as a gem and sleeping, while continuing to make her mountain a treasure trove of precious metals and gems for the dwarves she still loved beneath her sorrow.

It didn't take long for the tales of Aerchkaleya fade away, and soon, she was forgotten, no one remembering the Fae who had taken Durin's Folk under her protection. Only stories of the first Queen remained, and even those skewed, that she was a lone Fae, and then that she was simply an odd dwarf.

When they uncovered the Arkenstone, no one remembered that the stone wasn't just that, but it was a Fae, the literal soul and heart of the mountain. Instead, the king named it, proclaimed it his gem. And with Aerchkaleya still allowing her magic to feed the mountain, to make it rich, her presence uncovered fed the Dragon Sickness that claimed Thror. She remembered watching the dragon drive her dwarves away, but before she could awake to protect them, she was given a message; that the fall of Erebor could not be stopped, that the dwarves must wonder and find a new home, for the events that followed would create a great king, a king to make history.

And it had happened, Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, reclaimed Erebor, making history as the dwarven king whose Company defeated a dragon. Aerchkaleya would have returned to sleep for another long while. Until the wish. A creature, a creature of her mother's creation, called to her, beseeched anything or anyone to protect the line of Durin, that he feared the worse in the outcome of a battle.

Aerchkaleya answered his wish, awaking and calling on magic to allow her to sense which enemy was to land the deadly blows the wisher had feared. Her mountain was safe, and it would become a great kingdom again, but she was still alone, all alone. Being given royal status again had isolated her this time around. People were kind and polite, but they treated her as if she were different. Aerchkaleya didn't want to be different! She had tried, to respect their culture, she really had, but decades and centuries of being alone had taken a toll.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: Alright, this one is kind of filler in a sense, but it is giving you a background of Aerchkaleya and how she became the Arkenstone kinda...
> 
> OH! and someone asked and the way to pronounce her name is: AR-KAY-LEE-UH or you can pronounce the 'uh' as 'ah' whichever you prefer.
> 
> And since I already have the next several chapters done... how about I'll post Chapter Three after I get... five comments? Because I do wanna know what you guys think!
> 
> AND AND AND (yess there is more) I need OC's for Fili definitely, and I've decided that I need one for Bofur, Nori, Ori, and Bombur. If you are interested, message me:
> 
> Name of OC:
> 
> An established relationship or start a new one:
> 
> Brief Description:
> 
> Personality:
> 
> Race: (human dwarf elf etc.)
> 
> Where they live:
> 
> and I'll let you know if I need anything else! Oh, and if your a guest who wants to be one, leave it in the review


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three:**

"Where were her guards? I made it clear she was not to move about the mountain alone, for this reason!" Thorin yelled, at no one in particular. Kili remained on the ground, his arms holding Aerchkaleya tightly against his body. When she had tried to step over the edge of the walkway, his heart had stopped before starting up faster than before. He had burst forward and grabbed her before she could fall, shoving them both away from the edge, clutching onto her as if she were about to jump out of his arms if he loosened them.

Bofur appeared and answered Thorin, cheerful as ever, "Oh, they were tryin' t'follow 'er. Bit stuck at th'moment, though." When he received confused looks from Thorin, Fili, Dwalin and Nori, he clarified himself, completely deadpan, "Their feet are stuck in the floor."

Fili studied his friend's face and asked him, "They're stuck IN the floor? You said 'in'?" Bofur nodded and replied that the entire guard, except Dwalin a few feet to his right, literally had their feet stuck in the stone floors of Erebor.

The expression of confusion changed to disbelief, until Gloin came up behind the floppy-hatted dwarf and verified, "Aye, they're all ankle deep in stone." No one was quite sure what to say, or how to react. It had to have been the girl Kili still had yet to let go of. Thorin, Fili, Dwalin, Nori, and Balin all looked down at the girl, wide eyed.

Ori scuttled up next to his brother and managed to pipe up, "I, uh, I don't think she was trying to, you know, do what you think. I've been reading some of the older documents she showed me last month, and, well, it seems that those doors," the young scribe pointed to the pathless doors, "are to her rooms, her original rooms. A-and there are plenty of accounts of her walking on 'air' so to speak. S-so I think she might have just been, uhm, trying to get to her rooms."

Aerchkaleya's eyes fluttered open and she groaned, blinking a few times as Kili let go of her. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, frowning for a moment before standing and stretching her arms. The sleeves of the dress she wore fell against the movement, revealing the flecks of color that naturally decorated her skin, and were hidden beneath the dresses that she was provided. They were fairly, well no, entirely different from what she was used to wearing. Actually, she was quite sure that the usual attire of the Fae would give several dozen, if not all, dwarves heart attacks.

As her arms dropped, and she felt the stares of the dwarves on her, she heard a particularly deep, and irritated voice ask her, "What in Mahal's name did you think you were doing?" Aerchkaleya couldn't help but notice just how hard it was to keep a fairly even tone, and knew he was trying his absolute hardest not to scream and yell and throw a royal fit.

The brunette turned and faced Thorin, King under her Mountain, and, glaring, she told him bluntly, "I knew that I was trying to find some semblance of privacy _inside my own mountain_. I'm sick of you all treating me like I'm some helpless little whelp, that Erebor is some kind of danger to me, that I'm a _dwarf_."

Thorin held his ground but it was etched into his face he was shocked she would talk to him like she did. He wasn't used to anyone treating him like this. Yes, he had been looked down on and faced plenty of prejudice during exile, but never anyone treating him as if he was a clueless or idiotic child.

Even being smaller than him, Aerchkaleya's presence towered over him, making it clear he had no rule over her at the moment. With her hands on her hips, she gave him a piece of her mind, "I'm not a bloody dwarf, just because I'm small does not mean I am weak. I don't need a babysitter, or a guard with me every moment of every day." Her face softened slightly as she told the king in front of her, "I know you worry for the loss of any more of your kin, that you want to keep them from any more harm. I do as well, and I will not allow any more damage. I protected your ancestors, and I will protect you, and this kingdom. So I will be going wherever I wish to in Erebor, without a guard from now on."

Everyone stood still and silent, watching the king who was practically nose to nose with the small female. It was an odd yet frightening sight. While Thorin was taller and always had an air of authority around him, Aerchkaleya was radiating power. She hadn't requested anything of the king, she had told him.

Finally, Thorin stepped back and conceded, "Fine, you will no longer have a guard accompany you within the mountain." Trying to force a guard on her any longer would have been futile, he already knew that, as every one of them was stuck in stone at the moment. He knew very well just how strong she was, Gandalf had made it clear to him before his departure months ago. Aerchkaleya was deceivingly strong, even for a Fae, and highly independent. But she was also the Heart of the Mountain, that wasn't something that Thorin had been able to overlook and thought it necessary to protect her. His fear had been anything happening to her would have resulted in misfortune or disaster for the mountain itself.

Aerchkaleya smiled triumphantly before turning on her heel and marching right back to the edge of the walkway. This time, before she could be grabbed, she stepped off, shocking them all when she didn't fall. The Fae turned and frowned, before realizing that the Fae blood in the Line of Durin and their descendants had been too diluted for them to see it, what she could. They couldn't see the bridge she was standing on, they though she was going to fall.

Sighing, she knelt down and touched the bridge that only she could see, and murmured a few words. Immediately, the air beneath her feet glowed and within moments, everyone could see that she wasn't just floating in the air, rather she was on a white walkway, but the material seemed to be moving beneath her, without moving her. It faded away quickly enough, and Aerchkaleya told them as they watched it, "This isn't the first time I've lived in Erebor." And with those words, she finished crossing the once more invisible bridge, opening the doors on the other side just enough for her to slip in.

Thorin rubbed his hands over his face, still fairly irritated, and told the dwarves around him, "We should remove the guards from the walks."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors note: Okay guys! So, all OC spots are taken except Bombur.
> 
> So, I didn't get the five reviews, I got three, but I did get OC's so I'm counting that, and here is chapter three! It's a bit short, but quality over quantity. Plus, last chapter had a whole background story.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four:

 

No one saw Aerchkaleya for almost a week. Thorin brushed off anyone who mentioned it, too, simply telling them 'she is perfectly capable of taking care of herself'. And while everyone else let it be, realizing that Thorin would not be doing anything about it, Kili couldn't. He knew that she was fine, he just did, but he did happen to miss her. The few times he had gotten to spend time with her, the youngest prince had quite enjoyed it, enjoyed being around her. In fact, he made an effort to try and spend time with her.

The fact was, though, that there was no way to reach her room, no visible one at least. He'd been trying to figure out how to, enlisting Ori to aid him. The younger dwarf had managed to find an old book about Fae magic, and found a chapter about the 'Bridges of Light'. They were invisible to anyone of non-Fae blood, and impossible to walk on without being one as well. The only exception was if you were a Fae's One.

That had been a fairly interesting topic Kili read about on his own. Actually, he had read up quite a bit on the Fae race. But the chapter about 'One's' had been one of the most fascinating of them. 

Like dwarves, Fae only truly loved once, and loved for the rest of their lives. Unlike dwarves however, Fae never showed any romantic interest towards anyone who was not their one. They were each created with a perfect opposite, someone who balanced them exactly. The text had said that most Fae knew within moments of meeting their One, and that both would always be drawn to each other, there would never be any unrequited feelings. It had also said that the Fae's One were almost always another Fae, the only exception having been a Fae named Aephaerylia, the Heart of Moria, who's one had been Durin the Deathless.

Kili had been quite surprised at that, and after digging a bit further, the prince had managed to find that Durin's wife had indeed been named Aephaerylia, and that they had had three children. Though, that text said nothing of the first Queen under the Mountain being a Fae. That had confused him, if Aephaerylia was the Heart of Moria, what had brought her to Erebor, and had Aerchkaleya known her? He wanted to ask her, if anything it was his excuse for trying to get to her.

So, as Kili stood in front of where the bridge should have been, he hoped that Aephaerylia was truly his ancestor, and that he had enough Fae blood in him to walk across the bloody bridge, even if he couldn't see it. Before his foot could try to step down, a soft voice asked him, "Kili, what exactly are you doing?"

The sable haired archer spun around quickly and took a few steps from the edge, seeing the exact person he was trying to see. Aerchkaleya looked just as beautiful as ever, but her choice of attire made Kili turn redder than cherries, his ears burning, trying to figure if maybe he should look away.

The fabric that served as a blouse was simply covering her torso, leaving her shoulders bare and it did reveal some cleavage and came short just above her navel, the rich maroon colored fabric hugged every curve that it did cover. Rather than a long skirt that covered absolutely everything beneath the waist, she had a skirt yes, but it was strange, and revealed more skin. It was fairly apparent that it was two layers, the top a deep purple and the layer beneath the maroon color. But the way it was but up, looking shredded a bit- well, as he looked closer he saw that the top layer, while an inch or so did wrap completely around, it seemed like the right half had been removed, allowing him to see the second layer of maroon fabric. Now that did look quite shredded up, the right side cutting up quite a bit on and showing the smooth skin of her thigh. 

And with the entire lack of fabric, Kili could see that it was most of her body covered in flecks of color, reflecting the gems and metals her mountain produced. It took a moment, but Kili finally managed to stammer out, "I-I was just t-trying, uh, I mean- no one has seen you- I thought- you haven't-"

Aerchkaleya giggled slightly as the prince tripped over his words. After a moment, she smiled at him and interupted his jumbled sentence, "Sorry, I suppose my clothes are a bit… odd." 

Kili relaxed and admitted, "I don't think I've really every seen that… much of a girl. Not that I-"

"I get it," Aerchkaleya saved him. Glancing over at her door, she smiled and reached over, grabbing his hand and saying sweetly, "Come on, then."

His eyes went wide as the Fae pulled him towards the empty space and stumbled, clenching his eyes shut as he waited to fall. Cracking one eye open when he felt something solid beneath his feet, he realized that he was actually walking on the light bridge, he hadn't fallen. Looking up curiously at her, Aerchkaleya smiled sweetly at him, waiting until he stood up, before leading him over it and to her door, pulling him inside quickly.

The prince's jaw dropped. It wasn't a room behind the door at all, it was an entire wing, one that had massive rubies, emeralds, sapphires and more sprouting from the walls, veins of gold, silver, and what looked like mithril decorating the walls and even some bits of the floor. Blinking a bit, he murmured, "This is amazing, Aerchkaleya."

"Ark." Kili glanced over at her and she clarified herself, "You can call me Ark. Aerchkaleya is a bit of a mouthful really. Come on, then, I'll show you around." The archer grinned and followed after her, unable to prevent the stupidly happy smile from her allowing him to call her 'Ark'.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is just short fluff really.

**Author's Note:**

> It's not fabulous but it gets the idea across.... comments feed mah soul!


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